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Glossary

This Glossary of Terms contains various phrases and acronyms used on the Virgin Australia website. Its purpose is to assist you, by providing a simple and quick reference point for our most commonly used terms.

A

Airline Designator Code The two or three letter or number code issued by IATA to each airline to identify that airline and its flights. Virgin Australia’s Airline Designator Code is VA.

B

Baggage Allowance Allowance for your baggage, as set out in our Fare Rules and administered in accordance with Virgin Australia’s Conditions of Carriage and Policies.

Baggage Fee Any fee specified in the fare rules as payable by you for us to carry your checked baggage.

Booking The booking entry made by you or on your behalf, and accepted by us for travel on a Virgin Australia flight – the itinerary, the boarding pass, the ticket the baggage check and/or any other document or message from us relating to the contract for carriage concerning your travel.

C

Carry-on BaggageBaggage, personal effects or other articles (not being Checked Baggage) that accompany you during the provision of transport and services subject of the Booking.

Checked BaggageBaggage, personal effects or other articles registered with us as baggage intended to be carried in the aircraft hold during the provision of transport and services the subject of the Booking and for which a bag tag number is issued by us.

Codeshare Partner Airline with whom we have an agreement to operate Codeshare Services. Read about our Codeshare Services.

Codeshare ServiceA service which has a VA flight number, but is not operated by an airline in the Virgin Australia Group.

ConventionThe Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air (1929) (“Warsaw Convention”); the Warsaw Convention as amended at The Hague (1955); the Warsaw Convention as amended by Additional Protocol No. 1 of Montreal (1975); the Warsaw Convention as amended at The Hague and by Additional Protocol No. 2 of Montreal (1975); the Warsaw Convention as amended at The Hague and by Additional Protocol No. 4 of Montreal (1975); the Guadalajara Convention (1961); and the Montreal Convention (1999) ("Montreal Convention").

D

Destination The last destination shown on your Itinerary. When not capitalised, destination refers to a generic point of arrival.

Domestic Travel Travel entirely within one country and includes Australian Domestic Flights.

E

e-Ticket Electronic TicketA Ticket issued electronically, which is comprised of Electronic Coupons, and authorises a Guest to travel from one point to another.

Electronic Coupon An electronic flight coupon or other value document in electronic record form held in our database.

Event Beyond Our Control Includes events such as severe or inclement weather, strikes, security alerts or other events that may affect our ability to provide air transport as planned.

Events Within Our Control Includes events such as aircraft maintenance or crewing shortages, or other events within our reasonable control that may affect our ability to provide air transport as planned.

F

Fare The applicable Fare set by Virgin Australia for travel contemplated in a Booking (at the time of payment for the Booking), along with applicable fees and surcharges, and any taxes imposed by governments on the travel to which the Booking relates.

Fare ClassSpecifies the class of service a Guest is booked in to receive a Fare. Fare class is a one letter code that is used to identify the class of service or the Fare in an availability display.

Fare FamilyGrouping or collection of Fare Classes with similar inclusions and conditions forming part of the booked Fare, allowing for Guests to compare Fares and their associated conditions and inclusions. Examples of different Fare Families offering by Virgin Australia are “Saver” and "Flexi."

Fare Rules Those additional terms and conditions attached to the transport and services, the subject of the Booking (of which you are notified at the time of Booking and which are available on our Website).

Flight Coupon That portion of the Ticket that bears the notation “good for passage”, or in the case of an Electronic Ticket, the Electronic Coupon, and indicates the particular places between which you are entitled to be carried.

G

GCCSee Guest Contact Centre.

GDSGlobal Distribution SystemComputerised travel reservation platform, used as a single point of access by travel agents world-wide, for airline and associated travel products, enabling such purchases to be made.

Guest A person who has purchased a Fare and who travels with Virgin Australia.

Guest Compensation PolicyOur Compensation Policy as amended from time to time and published on our Website.

I

IATAThe International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA is the global trade organisation that develops the commercial standards that service the global member airlines.

IETInterline Electronic TicketThe International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA is the global trade organisation that develops the commercial standards that service the global member airlines.

InterlineTravel using more than one airline during a single journey.

International Long Haul Flights operated by Virgin Australia International or flights operated by a Codeshare Partner on behalf of Virgin Australia between two countries .

International Short Haul Flights operated or marketed by Virgin Australia (NZ), Virgin Australia (SE Asia) or Virgin Samoa or flights marketed by Virgin Australia but operated by Air New Zealand between Australia and New Zealand.

International Travel International carriage as defined in the Convention, and includes any Australian Domestic Flight, which forms part of an international trip.

ItineraryThe document that identifies the Guest’s routing information, including departure / arrival cities, flight numbers, dates and times.(a) The document we or our Authorised Agents provide to you which details your flights with Virgin Australia; and (b) May be combined with an Electronic Ticket when travelling on a flight operated by Virgin Australia International or a Codeshare Partner.

L

Laws The laws of any nation that apply to your travel with Virgin Australia.

Loss Any loss, damage, cost or expense, including consequential or indirect loss, loss of savings, business opportunities, revenue, profit and/or damage to goodwill.

M

MCTMinimum Connection Time Refers to the shortest amount of time allowable between two consecutive segments booked together in the same Booking.

Medical Clearance Form The form we require you to complete if you fall within any of the applicable categories of persons set out in the Medical Clearance Guidelines.

Medical Clearance Guidelines The guidelines which apply to Guests travelling on Virgin Australia flights who have an illness or a medical condition that is published on our Website. Read our Medical Clearance Guidelines.

Migrated Booking A Booking made before 12 January 2013, with a DJ Designator Code. From 12 January 2013 all DJ Designator Codes will change to VA; and all Virgin Australia flight numbers will start with VA.

O

P

Paper Ticket A Ticket printed on authorised ticketing paper, and includes Flight Coupons.

Piece Limit Piece limit for your Checked Baggage, which is determined by your Fare type and frequent flyer status and is specified in the Fare Rules and on our Website.

Policies Virgin Australia’s policies in relation to various aspects of travel, including Baggage, Medical Clearance Guidelines and Guests requiring special assistance. Policies are published on our Website.

Privacy Policy Virgin Australia’s policy for the collection and handling of Guests’ personal information, as published on our Website and amended by us from time to time. Read our Privacy Policy.

S

SabreThe name of the company providing integrated technology solutions for Virgin Australia.

SDR Special Drawing Right of the International Monetary Fund.

Single Designator From 12 January 2013 all Virgin Australia flight numbers will start with VA. The DJ flight code will no longer exist.

T

Tariff The published Fares, charges and/or related Conditions of Carriage of an airline filed with the governments of Canada or the United States of America.

Tarmac Delay Plan A contingency plan created by a carrier to manage a delay to a flight, where the carrier is required by Law to have a plan.

TicketA document which validly entitles you travel on flights operated or marketed by Virgin Australia International, and includes an Electronic Ticket and a Paper Ticket.

Ticketing Time Limit The time limit set by Virgin Australia International within which you must pay the Fare for a Booking.

Travel BankVirgin Australia’s tool for managing flight credits issued to Guests. It is an electronic alternative to cash refunds or credit shells when a full or partial refund is due in a ticketing transaction. The funds are kept in the Travel Bank until they are used as form of payment for future travel.

U

Us, we, our, the airline, Virgin Australia Us, we, our, the airline, Virgin Australia Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd (Virgin Australia Airlines), Virgin Samoa Ltd (Virgin Samoa), Virgin Australia Airlines (SE Asia) Pty Ltd (Virgin Australia (SE Asia)), Virgin Australia Airlines (NZ) Ltd (Virgin Australia (NZ)) or Virgin Australia International Airlines Pty Ltd (Virgin Australia International) or any other carrier that accepts the Booking and all carriers that provide transport and services the subject of the Booking to you and any of that carrier's agents, crew, representatives, contractors, subsidiaries or related bodies corporate. Where it has been necessary to distinguish between the individual carriers in the Conditions of Carriage, reference will be made to that individual carrier by name.

W

Weight LimitThe weight limit for Checked Baggage determined by the type of Fare purchased by you when making a Booking. The weight limit and the terms and conditions that apply for receiving the benefit of the weight limit are specified in the Fare Rules and on our Website.

Y

You, your You, a guest who is specified as receiving transport and other services from us in the Booking and any infant carried with you without a separate Booking.

Note: In the event of any inconsistencies between a term as defined within this Glossary and a term as defined within our Conditions of Carriage, the definition contained within the Conditions of Carriage will prevail.